Cooling mechanism



, 1942. w. 'r. DOWNS COOLING MECHANISM Jan. 13

Filed Jan. 24, 1958' :IIII:

.22: a. v a

Patented Jan. 13, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in a cooling mechanism adapted for use particularly for cooling thebody of a ve-" 'hicle such as an automobile.

It is an object of the present invention to pro vide a cooling mechanism in which the cooling effect is attained by a rarefaction' or vaporization of the fluid used for fuel purposes.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a structure embodying a receptacle or expansion chamber mounted between the source of fuel supply and the intake manifold of the engine used for propelling the vehicle,-in communication with both so that the fluid used for fuel may, in said container or receptacle, be subjected to a rarefaction resulting from a partial vacuum established by a suction .of the engine.

Another object of the invention is the provision in combination with a vehicle having an internal combustion engine for propelling the same provided with an intake manifold and a carburetor enclosed by the engine hood of an air cleaner positioned exterior of the engine hood and communicating with the carburetor by means of a suitable air conduit.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a cooler of this class in which an expansion chamber is positioned between the source of fuel supply and the intake manifold in communication with each for the purposes of rarefying and thereby lowering, the temperature of the fluid used for fuel purposes with the object of cooling air circulated in proximity to said chamber or receptacle.

Another object of the invention is the provision in a cooling device of this class of a receptacle or container positioned between the engine carburetor and the manifold in communication with each and provided with conduits opening exterior of the engine hood for conducting air into an air chamber surrounding the same and outwardly therefrom.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of this class which will be simple in structure, economical of manufacture, durable, compact, easily and quickly installed and highly efficient in use.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by a reference to the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this specification, and in which,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the invention showing it applied illustrating the invention shown in fragment with parts broken away.

Fig. 2 is a side, elevational viewof the invention showing it applied to the vehicle illustrated in fragment with parts broken away and parts shown in section.

Fig. 3 is a vertical, central, sectional view of a container use in the invention.

Fig. 4 is a se tlonal 'view taken on line 44 of Fig. 2.

I have illustrated the invention applied to a vehicle having a body 9 and an engine I 6 for propelling the same. The engine is of the reciprocating piston type and preferably the internal combustion type. The vehicle body is provided with the dash ll positioned rearwardly of the engine hood I2. is illustrated positioned beneath the hood l2. Also beneath the hood I2 is a carburetor M which is connected by the pipe l5 to the source of fuel supply suchas the gasoline tank of the automobile. Positioned between the source of fuel supply and the intake manifold I3 and illustrated as positioned between the carburetor l4 and the intake manifold l3, in communication with both, is a housing having a top l6 provided with the opening I! and a bottom I8 provided with the opening l9. Extending from top to bottom of this housing are tubes 2| provided with the outwardly projecting peripheral fins 2|. The housing comprises the side walls 22 and 23 as well as the rear wall 36 and the front wall 31. When mounted in position the communication between the intake manifold and the carburetor is established by means of this housing so that the fuel fluid passing into the intake manifold is delivered to the interior of this housing so as to pass through the tubes 2|. The top IS, the bottom l8 and the tubes 2! serve as an expansion chamber in which the fuel fluid is rarefied and vaporized and expanded,

thus lowering the temperature thereof. The suction of the engine will maintain a partial vacuum in the expansion chamber and serve to draw the rarefied fuel fluid from this chamber.

. An inlet passage 24 is provided at one side of the housing and an outlet passage 25 at the other side so that air delivered into the housing through the inlet pipe 24 passing through the space between the tubes 2! and fins 2| will leave the housing through the outlet passage 25. The inlet passage 24 is connected by a conduit 26 to the interior of the body 9 through the opening 20 which is formed in the dash ll so An intake manifold l3 that air entering the interior of the body through the opening 29 formed in the cowl 28 may be conducted into the interior of the housing which serves as an air chamber and within which is positioned the expansion chamber. The outlet passage 25 communicates with the outlet delivery conduit 30 which extends through the dash H and communicates with a blower positioned at the opposite side of the dash within the body I. This blower is operated by the electric motor 32. It is thus seen that as the temperature of the fuel fluid is lowered through rarefaction, the air delivered through the housing having the inlet passage 24 and the outlet passage 25 will also be cooled or lowered as to its temperature and this cool air will be delivered into the interior of the body 9 to serve as a means for maintaining a lowered temperature in this body.

An air delivery conduit 33 serves to establish communication of the carburetor I4 with an air cleaner 34 which is mounted on the dash II and positioned within the interior of the body 9. It will be noted that the air delivered to the carburetor is not taken from beneath the hood 12 of the engine as the air beneath the hood would, because of the heat of the engine, be raisedto a comparatively high temperature. By del vering the air to the carburetor from the interior of the body 9, the emciency of the mechanism as a cooler is raised and at th: same time cooled is delivered to the carbure or. The conduits 26, 30 and 33 should be covered with a layer of heat insulating material and the housing is illustrated as covered with a layer 35 of heat insulating material.

It will be noted that in this invention have provided a method of cooling air consisting in subjecting the fuel fluid which generally consists of a high volatile liqu d such as gaso11ne to a rarefying action in a container and while in this rarefied state at which a lowered temperature is obeained, I bring air into proximity with th rarefied mixture for the purposes of cooling the same. It will be noted that' the fluid which is rarefied is not wasted but is used for fuel purposes so that an economical operation of the invention becomes possible. It will also be noted that no material other than the fluid used for fuel purposes is necessary for obtaining the cooling effect. It is also believed obvious that the apparatus for delivering the air into Proximity with the container in which the rarefaction takes place may be of any desired type, the illustration merely indicating a practical method for this purpose.

The expansion chamber is of a fin and tube type structure which is commonly used in the formation of water radiators used on vehicles. In the construction of such radiators, there is also a form known as the honey-comb type in which air passages are provided through the structure. In this invention it is obvious that either type of construction may be used or that an open expansion coil may be used and in the claims the phrase honey-comb container or honey-comb expansion receptacle is intended to embrace the types of structure referred to. The walls 22, 23, 3B, and 31, merely form an enclosure for this expansion container and this enclosure may be termed a chamber or housing for providing an air chamber around the expansion chamber.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred forms of constructions, I do not wish to limit myself to the precise details of structures shown, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as may come within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new is:

1. In combination with a vehicle having a body, an engin exterior of said body for propelling the same, a hood for enclosing said engine, an intake manifold, a carburetor beneath said hood, and means for conducting fuel to said carburetor: an apparatus for cooling a current of air consisting of an expansion chamber mounted between-said carburetor and said intake manifold, in communication with both. and adapted for reception of vaporizable fluid passing from said carburetor to said manifold, said engine, during its operation, maintaining a partial vacuum in said chamber for vaporizing fuel fluid delivered thereinto prior to its passage to the intake manifold; a housing enclosing said chamber; a conduit for delivering air from the exterior of said hood into said housing; and a conduit for conducting air from said housing into the interior of said body.

2. 4 In combination with a vehicle having a body, an engine exterior of said body for propelling the same, a hood for enclosing said engine, an intake manifold a carburetor beneath said hood, and means for conducting fuel to said carburetor; an apparatus for cooling a current of air consisting. of an expansion chamber mounted between said carburetor and said intake manifold, in communication with both, and adapted for reception of vaporizable fluid passing from said carburetor to said manifold, said engine, during its operation, maintaining a partial vacuum in said chamber for vaporizing fuel fluid delivered thereinto prior to its passage to the intake manifold; a housing enclosing said chamber; a conduit for delivering air from the exterior of said hood into said housing; a conduit for conducting air from said housing into the interior of said body; and anair circulating mechanism for maintaining the flow of air through said conduits.

3. In combination with a vehicle having a body, an engine exteriorof said body for propelling the same, a hood for enclosing said engine, an intake manifold, a carburetor beneath said hood, and means for conducting fuel to said carburetor: an apparatus for cooling a current of air consisting of an expansion chamber mounted between said carburetor and said intake manifold, in communication with both, and adapted for reception of vaporizable fluid passing from said carburetor to said manifold, said engine, during its operation, maintaining a partial vacuum in said chamber for vaporizing fuel fluid delivered thereinto prior to its passage to the intake manifold; a housing enclosing said chamber; a conduit for delivering air from the exterior of said hood into said housing; a conduit for conducting air from said housing into the interior of said body; and means for delivering air from the exterior of said hood to said carburetor.

4. In combination with a vehicle having a body, an engine exterior of said body for propelling the same, a hood for enclosing said engine, an intake manifold for said engine, a carburetor beneath said hood, and means for delivering fuel fluid to said carburetor: an expansion chamber mounted between said carburetor and said intake manifold, in communication with both, and a conducting member in communication with said carburetor and said intake manifold for conducting fuel fluid from said carburetor to said intake manifold; a housing for enclosing said conducting member; means for conducting air from the exterior of said hood into said housing; and means for conducting air from the interior of said housing into the interior of said body.

5. In combination with a vehicle having a body, an engine exterior of said body for propelling the same, a hood for enclosing said engine, an intake manifold for said engine, a carburetor beneath said hood, and means for delivering fuel fluid to said carburetor: an expansion chamber mounted between said carburetor and said intake manifold, in communication with both, and a conducting member in communication with said carburetor and said intake manifold for conducting fuel fluid from said carburetor to said intake manifold; a housing for enclosing said conducting member; means for conducting air from the exterior of said hood into said housing; means for conducting air from the interior of said housing into the interior of said body; and means for conducting air from the exterior of said hood into said carburetor.

6. In combination with a vehicle having a body, an engine exterior of said body for propelling the same, a hood for enclosing said engine, an intake manifold, and a carburetor; a honey-comb expansion container mounted between said carburetor and said intake manifold, in communication with both, there being air passages through said container; a housing for enclosing said container, the interior of said housing being in communication with said air passages, at opposite ends thereof; a conduit for conducting air from the interior of said body into the interior of said housing for passage through the air passages of said container; a conduit for conducting air from said housing, after the passage of the same through said air passages, into the interior of said body; and means for maintaining circulation of air through said conduits.

7. The combination with a vehicle having a passenger compartment, and an internal combustion engine mounted beneath an enclosing hood, for driving said vehicle, said engine being provided with an intake manifold and a carburetor; of means for cooling said compartment, said means comprising a heat exchanger supported by said intake manifold and positioned between and in communication with said manifold and the carburetor, said heat exchanger containing passageways for the passage of vaporized fuel from said carburetor to said intake manifold, other passageways in said heat exchanger in heat exchange relation with said first mentioned passageways, a conduit for delivering air from outside said hood into said other passageways and a second conduit -for conducting said air from said other passageways in the heat exchanger to the compartment to be cooled.

' WILLIAM T. DOWNS. 

